Protector for electrical apparatus



(No Model.)

. C. H. MORSE.

PROTECTOR FOR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS.

No. 470,697. Patented Mar. 15, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. MORSE, OE CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

PROTECTOR FOR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,697, dated March15, 1892.

Application filed January 12, 1892. Serial No. L117,860. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHAELEs H. Moi-isn, residing at Cambridge, in thecounty of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certainImprovements in Protectors for Electrical Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to the protection of electrical apparatusconnected in electric circuits from currents of electricity abnormal tothe circuits, or of such a character as to burn out the helices of suchapparatus and to occasion danger from fire thereto and lto thesurroundings.

The invention relates to a method of protecting electrical apparatus byshunting the abnormal current through a path of least resistance to theearth, and especially relates to an electro-magnetic protector havingtwo independent helices, one of which is located in each side of theline-circuit as it enters and leaves the apparatus to be protected. Thenormal current does not affect the said helices, but an abnormal currentattracts an armature, to which is locked a weight arranged upon avertical guide, and operates to unlock the Weight, which, instantlyfalling by its gravity down its guide, wedges itself between or upon oneor more contacts, the effect being to shortcircuit or shunt theapparatus to be protected or to ground the line at a point away from thesaid apparatus, or to do both. In addition to the electro-magneticprotector I also combine therewith fusible protectors, as more fully Setforth hereinafter. I conne the electromagnetic protector in an inclosingcase and connect therewith a visual and an audible indicator, wherebythe person in charge may see at a glance whenever the device hasoperated and whenever the apparatus is shunted by means of the former,and may hear from a distance by means of the latter form of indicator,all of which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a face view of the electro-magneticprotector out from its inclosing box. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same,a portion of its inclosing box being shown in section at the top. Fig. 3is a crosssection on line rc of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing theelectro-magnetic protector in position, the fusible protectors, and theinstruments to be protected. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of theelectro-magnetic protector in its inclosing box and its visualindicater.

1 and 1a is a base of insulating material, to which the several parts ofthe protector are secured.

2 and 2 are the helices of the electro-magnet secured to the base 1.

3 is a standard extending forward, having the two projections 4: and 5.

S is the armature secured to the projection 5 by the flat spring 7, soas to stand away from the cores of the helices 2 and 2a against theregulating-screw 6 in the projection 4.

9 is al central block extending downward from the armature S between thehelices, having at each side of' its lower end extensions or horns 1010.

13 is a vertical bar, square in cross-section, secured to the base 1ELand serves as a guide to the weight 11, which has a hole through itslength and slides upon the guide. The weight 11 has upon the outer edgesof its upper end hooks 12 12, which engage with the extensions 10 10 ofthe armature-block 9. Upon the base 1, around the guide 13, are threespring-contacts 14, 15, and 16, the former connected to screw-post e,the second to earth, and the latter to screw-post p. Proj ect-ing fromthe front side of the weight 11 is a rod 17, having near its outer end apointer 18, its end terminating in a knob 19. 1V hen theelectro-magnetic protector is inclosed in its box A, the rod 17 extendsthrough a slot in the front thereof, as shown in Fig. 5. The line Lenters at screwpost b, where it branches, one branch going by wire 21through helix 2, wire 20, screw-post a, wire 30, through the apparatus Ito be protected, wire 31, screw-post d, wire 25, helix 2, wire 24C,screw-post c, to return wire L', which may be the return wire of ametallic circuit or a ground wire, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. el.This is the normal Working circuit of the apparatus. -lVhenever anabnormal current enters, the armature 8 is attracted, the extensions 1()10 leave the hooks 12 12, and the weight 11 falls by gravity down itsguide 13 and wedges itself between the spring-contacts 14, 15, and 16,and forms a IOO p another.

short circuit between the screw-posts b and e, and also puts a groundvonto the line, the circuit being from line L, wire 22, contact 16,wedge-weight 11, contact 14, wire 23, screwpost e, line L', and bycontact 15, wire 26, to earth at E, thus shunting the apparatusI. If theabnormal current is of very high electro-motive force, the fusible wirest and will blow out and open the line. When the shortcircuiting orshunting wedge weight 11 is locked to the armature 8, the indicator1 18shows through the slot s, as shown in Fig. 5, at its upper end, and whenit is unlocked and down, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,'theindicator is at the bottom of the slot s, serving to visually indicateto the attendant the conditions of the circuit, whether in workingcondition or shunted. The audible indicator is represented in Fig. 3.

32 and 33 are spring-contacts secured to the base 1f, and are slightlyseparated from one V'ires 36 and 37 are secured to the springs andinclude in circuit a battery 35 and bell 3ft. lVhen the weight 11descends, as previously described, it makes contact with bothcontact-springs 32 and 33 and bridges the space between them, closingthe circuit and causing the bell to ring.

I prefer to use the visual and audible indicators in the same instrumentand secure the double and simultaneous indication.

My electro-magnetic protector is adapted for straight or alternatingcurrents .and in practice has proved very efficient, and by Vae.

rying the winding of the helices it is exactly adapted to any voltageand amprage, and when alternating currents traverse its helices arcingis entirely prevented, as when a pulsation in. either direction ofsufficient strength passes through the helices the armature is attractedand the weight drops instantlybefore the next pulsation comes in. Allelectromagnetic protectors that I am aware of operate only by currentsof one direction. The means for shunting the circuit, including theinstruments to be protected, op-

erated bythe armature, are not of a character to be operated quickenough between a positive and negative pulsation, and so when anabnormal alternating current passes through the helices instead ofoperating to shunt the current the device is inert, the consequencebeing that the instruments in circuit are burned out and fire introducedinto their surroundings. A

To reset the protector the attendant pushes the .knob 19 up until thehooks 12 12 reach the extensions 10 10, over which they are forced, thespring 12 allowing the armaturebar 9, with its extensions, to moveinward and forcing it outward when the hooks pass the extensions, andthus hold the weight up, as shown.

I do not confine myself to the precise form and shape of the parts orarrangement of circuits shown and described, but may change andotherwise form them without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim- 1. An electro-magnetic protector having two independent helicesin opposite sides of the circuit including the apparatus to beprotected, an armature extending across the cores of said helices, twocontacts respectively connected to the opposite sides of said circuitand one contact connected to the earth, and a shunting orshort-circuiting and grounding weight normally locked to the saidarmature, but adapted to be released therefrom when the said armature isattracted to said helices and to fall vertically and make' connectionwith the said contacts, as set forth.

2. An electro-magnetic protector having two independent helices inopposite sides of the circuit including the apparatus to be protected,an armature extending across the cores of said helices, two contactsrespectively connected to the opposite sides of said circuit and onecontact connected to the earth, and a shunting or short-circuiting andgrounding weight normally locked to the said armature, but adapted to bereleased therefrom when the said armature is attracted to said helicesand to fall vertically and make connection with the said contacts,combined with fusible protectors, one in each side of the said circuit,as set forth.

3. The combination, in an electro-magnetic protector, of anelectro-magnet having two helices and cores therefor included in circuitwith the apparatus to be protected, as described, an armature extendingover the cores of each helix, and a weight normally locked to the saidarmature, but adapted to be released therefrom upon the attraction ofsaid armature byits helices, with a vertical guide for the said weighthaving at its base grounding contacts, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in an electro-magnetic protector, of anelectro-magnet having two independent helices, one in each side of thecircuit including the apparatus to be protected, an armature extendingacross the cores of each helix, a shunting-weight normally locked to thesaid armature, but adapted to be released therefrom upon the attractionof said armature by its helices, and three contact-springs, two of whichare connected, respectively, to opposite sides of the circuit, the otherbeing connected with the earth.

5. The combination, in an electro-magnetic protector, of anelectro-magnet having two independent helices, one in each side of thecircuit including the apparatus to be protected, an armature extendingacross the cores of each helix, a shunting-weight normally locked to thesaid armature, but adapted to be released therefrom upon the attractionof said armature by its helices, and a vertical guide for the saidweight having at its base three contact-springs, two of which areconnected, respectively, to opposite sides of the IOO IIO

spectively, to opposite sides of the circuit, the other being connectedwith the earth, combined with means for eecting simultaneaudibleindications, consistously visual and ing of a pointer attached to thesaid shuntingweight forming a visual indicator, and an open circuitincluding a battery and bell, the said circuit terminating in twocontacts adapted to be closed by the said shuntingweight, forming anaudible indicator, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 9th day of January, 1S92.

CHARLES H. MORSE.

Witnesses:

ALICE S. MORSE, V. M. BERTHOM).

